Our Board of Directors

Jay Wilson

Where are you from? Born in Florence, AL, college at Vanderbilt in Nashville and 25 years in Huntsville.

Are you married? Have kids? Katie (a long time LVM volunteer staff member) and I have been married for 24 amazing years in September. We have three beautiful and smart kids who love the Lord. Jake (21) is now a senior at UA, Virginia (18) is a senior at Randolph and Fletcher (16) is a junior at Randolph.

Where do you go to church? We worship and serve at Church of the Highlands.

What do you to do in your spare time? I love spare time! I work and travel a lot, but when I’m not, I love to play golf, read, go to the movies with Katie, and do anything with the kids. They actually still enjoy being around us sometimes!

What is one fun fact about you? Although I feel like I come across like a serious, boring businessman all the time, a great worship song, a personal story of struggle, or a touching movie scene can spark an emotional side at any moment. I rarely let the tears show though!

Favorite verse in the Bible: Tough to name one, but today Proverbs 3:5-6 were on my heart. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Scott Bence

Executive Administrator and Assistant Dean of UAB School of Medicine Huntsville Campus

How long have you been involved with LVM? 3 years.

What makes LVM special to you? I am honored to serve alongside all the wonderful LVM staff and volunteers. I know lives are being changed in remarkable ways through the grace and goodness of a Mighty God. Hearing the stories and watching the Holy Spirit move in the Lincoln Village community is both exciting and inspiring.

What is your favorite Bible verse? Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Steve Hill

CEO AEgis Technologies

How long have you been involved with LVM? My company, AEgis Technologies, and I started some involvement with and support to Lincoln Village in 2013. I joined the Board in January of 2014.

What makes LVM special to you? The wonderful leadership and staff of Lincoln Village Ministry along with many volunteers from our city are so passionate about serving Christ and helping people who are hurting, in need, or need a hand up not a handout. God is clearly at work in our city through the LVM community.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Joshua 24:15 – “…as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Sam Yeager

Partner, Bristol Development Group in Franklin, TN

How long have you been involved with LVM? I have known Mark Stearns and been involved in his ministries since 1995. I became a board member in 2003.

What makes LVM special to you? Lincoln Village Ministries provides me an opportunity to fulfill the Gospel by helping support an incredible team of dedicated ministers to the poor, less fortunate and victimized in our home town of Huntsville.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Rica McRoy

Ophthalmologist, Drs. Coulter, McRoy & Associates

How long have you been involved with LVM? About 6 years

What makes LVM special to you? Through LVM I see first-hand the impact the hope of Christ makes in an individual, a family, a school and a community. Lincoln is a partnership of ministry and community that bears witness to the glory of God manifested through ordinary people. LVM encourages me to “not allow His grace to be wasted”.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? “Those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame.” Psalm 34:5

Matt Fowler

President & CEO, Solid Earth

How long have you been involved with LVM? – I first met Lincoln through the real estate ministry in the early 90s when I was getting started as a real estate appraiser. I got to know Mark and Dale a little and afterward kept in touch with them. Later Bobby Bradley brought me back down with a group of business people to hear Mark’s testimony in one of the little houses facing Meridian. So, off and on again since about 1995.

What makes LVM special to you? – That’s an easy one. Jesus. Jesus is why LVM is special to me and he lives in the hearts of the people. What is a ministry anyway? A building? A school? Nope. It’s the power of the Holy Spirit shining brightly in the hearts of the wonderful people going about ministry. See, Jesus=Love and there is more love in LVM than most places. Fighting poverty is a priority for me. Financial poverty but also spiritual poverty and relationship poverty, and a poverty of learning that persists in our state. If we love them, the poor people in our neighborhood, we will come down to their place and live among them, and by our love lead them into a better life. That is what LVM is focused on doing and that’s why it’s special to me.

What’s your favorite verse in the Bible? – That’s a tough one. When I got eye cancer I read a lot, as you might imagine, and came across Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” But as life changes, and I am still alive! I have been reading John and I love JTB (John the Baptist). John 1:29 when he sees Jesus coming towards him… “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (I always imagine JTB speaking like the KJV sounds for some reason). That’s what I think we are doing at LVM, running around saying “Hey kid! BEHOLD!”. That’s A favorite.

Tim Self

President, Self-Technologies

How long have you been involved with LVM? Three years.

What makes LVM special to you? Lincoln Village Ministry is literally rescuing children and delivering families from hopelessness. LVM heals and feeds their bodies and minds, and ultimately, souls. It is actively responding to God’s call to minister to “the least of these”, and Him.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Barney Heyward

Financial Advisor, Raymond James

How long have you been involved with LVM? Over a decade, either as a banker or a Board member

What makes LVM special to you? I enjoy being a part of a transformational organization that is striving to make a difference in people’s lives. Watching neighborhoods eradicated of crime and drugs, addressing the social fabric with better health, less crime, helping people become more productive, hopeful, and fulfilled is very rewarding.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “Plans to comfort you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

John Newton

Retired from NASA

How long have you been involved with LVM? 10 years

What makes LVM special to you? Faith-based organization helping families, especially children in great need giving them great hope.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Becca Abercrombie

Community Volunteer

How long have you been involved with LVM? I have been involved with LVM since 2006

What makes LVM special to you? I love Lincoln because they fight for children and families who are otherwise overlooked. I see the love of Christ in all they do and love their dependence on God and prayer.

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Zephaniah 3:17. “The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Jon Houser

VP of Sales and Marketing, Xarisma

How long have you been involved with LVM? Been involved with LVM since 2010.

What makes LVM special to you? I believe LVM exists to give the hope and wisdom through Jesus Christ- what better purpose to serve!

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Hebrews 12:1-2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Mark Stearns

Founder, Lincoln Village Ministry

How long have you been involved with LVM? Since the beginning

What is your favorite verse in the Bible? Jeremiah 9: 23-24 “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.”